Fading Moonlight
by FleetingButterfly
Summary: When an attempt on Touya's life goes horribly wrong, and Yukito is taken in his stead, can Touya find his special person before it's too late? Post-Series Touya/Yukito Sakura/Syaoran Kurogane/Fai
1. Chapter 1

A large crowd gathered before the main balcony of the royal palace. They talked in hushed, worried whispers and shot anxious glances towards the closed doors that hid the room's shadowed recesses. Those who had gathered became silent as the doors finally swung open.

Touya, his mouth set in a slight frown, emerged first. His dark royal robes swayed slightly in the gentle breeze as he moved towards the balustrade. Sakura followed him into the glaring desert sun and gazed down fondly at the assembled people. With his staff in one hand and his priest robes a pristine white, Yukito stepped forward, smiling reassuringly.

Touya glanced quickly at Yukito before focusing on the crowd. "I am aware that many of you are worried due to the recent attacks on our trading caravans and any travelers that leave the vicinity of the palace", Touya began, his voice steady and clear over the quiet audience. "Luckily, only minor injuries have been inflicted and small amounts of food taken so far." He paused, expression hardening.

"There is no need to be anxious. I have already sent several small groups to investigate and pinpoint the source of these crimes. These unwarranted attacks will be stopped before anyone is seriously wounded and any valuable cargo is stolen. When we uncover those guilty, they shall be justly punished." The young king stopped as cries of agreement and murmurs of relief and approval rose from the crowd.

"Great speech, Your Majesty." Yukito whispered encouragingly in Touya's ear. Frowning, Touya whispered back. "Yuki, I told you not to call me that when no one can hear us." Yukito laughed gently before smiling warmly at his friend. "To-ya then."

As Touya sent him one of his trademark smirks, he caught a flash of light at the corner of his vision. Turning instinctively, he managed to dodge the metal projectile that had been shot towards him. His upper arm stung painfully as the weapon left a long, shallow gash across it. Staggering back, Touya stared at the arrow that had lodged into the palace wall, its tip crimson with his blood. If he had been a few seconds slower, the arrow would have pierced his chest.

Below, the crowd erupted into screaming chaos.


	2. Chapter 2

Although most of the crowd panicked and ran away towards the relative safety of their houses, several figures, four men and one woman, stayed put and turned their faces upwards towards the palace's balcony.

They all wore ordinary brown clothes, but strangely, they all had largely similar blank expressions and dull eyes. The woman was carrying a bow in one hand and had a slim quiver of arrows strapped to her back.

Their forms rippled before melting away. Where the emotionless illusions once stood, hooded masked figures in intricately decorated black coats waited, poised to assail the king. Each of the masks displayed a different animal's face, etched in startling detail and vivid color. A hawk, a serpent, a fox, a bat, and a cat leered up at the king.

Touya heard Yukito take in a shocked gasp of air as the assassins' magic fell away. Shifting to look at him, Touya saw that his friend had gone rigid, staring at the five figures with horror-filled eyes.

The assassin bearing the white cat mask drew an arrow from her quiver and aimed at the balcony as the others leapt impossibly high and landed lightly on the balustrade.

Sakura screamed as they drew long silver daggers and lunged towards her brother. Touya turned, about to dodge, but a sudden wave of nausea threatened to send him to his knees.

Abruptly, a semi-translucent golden barrier shot up between the attackers and Touya. When the four men slammed into it, bright sparks swarmed across their skin, leaving angry red burns. Crying out, the men collapsed, twitching and flailing, flashes of gold lingering over them and preventing them from getting back up.

Touya spun around and regretted it almost instantly. His head swam and and he resisted the urge to throw up. Doubling over, he kept a hand over his mouth as he waited for the momentary vertigo to subside. A sharp throbbing pain began to pulse in his temples as the dizziness faded. Gritting his teeth, he pushed past the discomfort and looked up.

Yukito stood, grim and determined, his staff planted firmly onto the balcony floor. Golden light eminated from his hands and swirled up the smooth, gilded surface of the staff.

"Sakura, get inside and find the guards! I'll help Touya", the priest ordered in a strained voice. Sakura nodded and ran through the balcony's glass doors.

Suddenly, an arrow struck the magical shield. Yukito's bright magic crackled around its shaft, but the arrow slowly burrowed deeper into the barrier, its jagged tip glowing dark blue. The barrier paled gradually and the sparks of magic flickered out. The protective wall shattered, glimmering shards flying through the air before disintegrating into fine dust. The heap of previously immobilized attackers began to stir as Yukito's magic was broken.

Yukito let out a strangled gasp and fell to one knee, pale and sweaty. Touya stood shakily, swaying slightly, and took a faltering step towards his friend. The masked woman sent several more arrows speeding towards him. He tried to move out of range, but his head swam and his body refused to budge.

A sudden weight slammed into his side, knocking him out of the arrows' paths. Hitting the floor harshly, Touya cried out as the impact jarred his already pounding skull, eyes squinting shut against the pain.

Forcing his eyelids open in an attempt to see who had pushed him out of harm's way, the king saw Yukito standing where Touya had been just moments before. Yukito swung his staff, releasing a violent gust of wind, and knocking most of the arrows out of the air. However, he still missed several of the deadly projectiles.

One struck him in the shoulder and another thudded into the side of his thigh. Dropping his staff with a loud clatter, Yukito stumbled and collapsed, his mouth wide in a hoarse scream. Scarlet stains spread across his white robes and the balcony floor, as he succumbed to unconsciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

"YUKI!"

Any pain was pushed forcefully to the side, and Touya staggered to his feet. However, before he could run to Yukito's side, the cat-masked woman jumped from the ground, flying impossibly high, and landed softly beside the injured priest.

Yukito was breathing shallowly, his chest rising and falling erratically. Beads of sweat were gathering on his ashen pale skin, and his face was twisted slightly with agony. Blood was beginning to pool beneath him, staining the woman's hands and clothes a sticky scarlet as she lifted the limp body by the front of his robes.

"Oh, how sweet", she crooned, one hand tilting the priest's lolling head towards her. "You're quite the hero, sacrificing yourself for the king." Her companions had finally recovered from Yukito's magical barrier, and stood slightly behind her with their long knives gripped tightly in their hands.

"However, he only delayed the inevitable." The woman's eyes glinted triumphantly behind her porcelain mask, as the other assassins crouched, preparing to leap.

Suddenly, the section of sky right above the balcony seemed to bend and drip downwards, forming a large glob of iridescent liquid. The droplet hung, colors swirling and glistening in the desert sun, suspended briefly between the assassins and their target. Then it burst, streams of dimensional material splashing through the air.

Syaoran, Kurogane, Fai, and Mokona were revealed. The adventurers were wearing the robes Sakura had given them, when they had defeated Fei Wang Reed about six months ago. Since the evil mastermind's defeat, the trio and the magical rabbit had returned only twice. Touya gritted his teeth as pain lanced through his skull again, causing him to stumble backwards with one hand gripping his head. _Of all the times these four have dropped in, this has got to be the most convenient_, he thought.

"Your Majesty! High Priest!" Syaoran cried, alarmed to find Touya defenseless and a wounded Yukito in the hands of the assailants. Drawing his sword, he whirled around to face the attackers. Kurogane pulled out Ginryuu, growling, and Fai also readied himself for battle, magic dancing and flashing at his fingertips. Mokona bounded over to Touya landing on the king's shoulder. "What happened?! Is Sakura okay?!" It cried in a high, anxious voice. Touya found himself unable to answer as a fresh wave of nausea made black spots gnaw at his vision.

The attackers hesitated, startled by the sudden arrival of the travelers. At the sight of an aggressive Kurogane and Fai's lethal magic, the woman backed up hastily, dragging Yukito with her.

The balcony doors were thrown open with a bang, and several armed palace guards ran through, weapons drawn. Sakura followed hurriedly, and gasped, hands flying to cover her mouth, at the sight of the captive Yukito and her unexpected friends.

The masked woman let out a frustrated huff of breath. They were definitely outnumbered. By the looks of the dark man with demonic red eyes and a feral grin coupled with the smiling mage commanding dangerous magical power, the assassins were hopelessly outmatched too.

The woman drew her own dagger out of a sheath strapped to her thigh. Holding the blade to the unconscious priest's neck, she ordered,"Don't move, or he dies." The travelers and the guards froze, eyes locked on the woman, unwilling to risk Yukito's life.

"Retreat", the woman called over her shoulder. Her partners complied immediately, magic flaring around their forms. They quickly faded into wispy black smoke before disappearing. She began to dissolve, still keeping the knife at Yukito's throat. "I'll be bringing him with me", she said, voice smug, as the priest began the become smoke too.

"No! Yuki!" Touya's desperate cry jolted the guards into action. Syaoran and Kurogane lunged forward as Fai's magic streaked towards the woman. With a mocking laugh, the woman vanished along with Yukito before anyone could stop her.

Touya could only watch helplessly as his best friend was stolen. When another surge of intense pain exploded in his head, he fell backwards, slumping against the palace wall, unconscious.


	4. Chapter 4

There was a comforting warmth draped over him, and he was lying on something soft. Was he... in a bed? Forcing his heavy eyelids open with a groan, Touya found himself blinking up blearily at the gold-embroidered, navy canopy of his bed. Bright sunlight streamed through the glass balcony doors of his bedroom, falling at just the right angle to burn his eyes. _It must be past midday_, he thought idly, turning over underneath the covers to shield his eyes.

"You're finally awake." The voice was light and cheerful, but clearly relieved. "Sakura-chan will be happy." Touya looked to his right, still quite groggy. The blonde mage was perched on a chair, his chin on top of his interlaced fingers. "The name's Fai, just in case you forgot", the man's blue eyes twinkled at the king as the wizard stood and stretched, spine popping as he bent forward and touched his toes easily.

Touya ran his hand through his tousled black hair, mumbling hoarsely, "What happened? I don't-". Suddenly, the memory of the attempted assassination and Yukito's kidnapping slammed into him.

"Yuki!" He sat up instantly, throwing the blankets off. His bandaged upper arm twinged painfully, and he winced, one hand flying up to grip it. "Don't move", Fai chided, gently pushing him back down and tugging the sheets back over him. "I know you're worried, but you won't be able to help anyone if you hurt yourself again. Now rest while I go get the doctor."

"But is Yuki...", Touya's throat tightened,eyes suddenly burning, before he could finish his question. Fai's eyes softened. "We'll explain everything after the doctor sees you, alright?" Touya could only nod mutely, too overcome by grief and worry, as the mage left his bedroom.

_Yuki, please be alive..._ Touya's hands fisted angrily in his blankets. _If those masked cowards hurt you at all, I swear I'll-_

Suddenly the door flew open, and a flurry of flying hair and white skirts threw herself at him.

"Onii-san!" Sakura stopped just short of hugging him, which could possibly aggravate his injury even more. "I was so worried about you", the princess cried, her eyes shining with tears. "You didn't wake up for three days!"

"Three days?!" Touya exclaimed, shocked. _In that amount of time, Yuki could be..._

"Actually, it's only been three nights and two days." Touya looked up at the sound of a deep voice. Doctor Shuichiro, the palace physician, and his cheerful assistant, Kohaku, had followed Sakura through the door. The doctor was a tall, broad-shouldered man with short black hair. His chiseled features and dark eyes were set in their usual serious expression. Kohaku was just the opposite, slender and delicate, with wavy blonde hair that tumbled over one shoulder. Bright golden eyes sparkled expressively in the light.

Shuichiro managed to convince Sakura to wait outside with the travelers, as Kohaku diligently went through the process of checking Touya's temperature and unbandaging his arm for further inspection.

"How do you feel?", the doctor asked, bending close to the wound, and searching for any signs of infection. "Sleepy, and a little light-headed", Touya admitted, holding still for the examination. "Not very surprising", Shuichiro remarked,"Considering the amount of medication we dosed you with." Satisfied that the king was going to be fine, he handed his patient a glass of water.

Touya supported the cup with some difficulty, his grip weak on its smooth sides. Lifting the trembling cup to his mouth, he took a few tentative sips of the cool water. The doctor watched him, frowning slightly.

"The arrow you were shot with was tipped with a foreign poison. I'd never seen that particular type before, but it seems similar to snake venom", Shuichiro told the king as he wound the bandage securely around his arm. _That explains the dizziness and the headache,_ Touya thought.

"Well, you seem to be healing quickly, but a few more days of bedrest wouldn't hurt", the physician said, helping Kohaku gather up the used bandages. Touya tried to protest,"But I need to-"

"Yukito-san would not want you to injure yourself again for his sake." Shuichiro pinned him with a stern look. "You still need to regain your strength after that poison." Touya bowed his head, knowing that the doctor was only being concerned for him, but still unwilling to let his best friend stay in the hands of the enemy for any longer.

"Your Highness...", Kohaku said softly, smiling at him understandingly. "If you go after him now and get hurt again, Yukito-san will be hurt more too. But if you wait and recover for a few more days, you can gather more information and heal completely. Isn't that right?"

The doctor's assistant stepped closer to Shuichiro, leaning against him and linking hands. "I understand that Yukito-san is important to you. And because of this, the decision is completely up to you."

Touya closed his eyes, considering both options carefully. He wanted to go now, but he wasn't strong enough to withstand a long journey, let alone save anyone. _Yuki...please forgive me..._

"I'll wait."

...~*~...~*~...~*~...

Shuichiro and Kohaku left, letting Sakura and her friends into the room as they went. Sakura ran to the bed, sitting down on the chair that Fai had previously occupied. Syaoran followed at a slower pace, and placed himself beside Sakura, still standing. Touya did his best to send him an annoyed glare, which was met with an even look. _Looks like the brat has grown up too,_ Touya thought, suppressing a smirk. Fai had draped himself, in a way that oddly reminded the king of a cat, over Kurogane's back. The ninja was currently attempting to shake him off.

"Get the hell off of me, mage!" He growled, red eyes flashing dangerously. "Watch your language, Kuro-daddy", Fai reprimanded cheerfully, still managing to cling on. "You're setting a bad example for the children!"

Kurogane snorted and finally peeled the blond limpet off his back, only to have the manju bun explode out of his clothes and into his face. Dropping the wizard, he began chasing the white rabbit around the room, shouting obscenities.

Ignoring the interesting scene, Touya turned towards his sister. He asked,"What happened while I was asleep?" Sakura bit her lip, obviously worried. "After they took Yukito，I sent people to search, but they haven't found anything." She fidgeted under Touya's stare before brightening. "But Syaoran found some people who said they know about the assassins. The couple were attacked by them while they were traveling."

"Where are they?" Touya was impatient to do something, anything, that could potentially help him save Yukito. There was a light knocking at the door. Sakura smiled,"That should be them."

"Come in", Touya called. The door opened.

...~*~...~*~...~*~...

As thanks to my first three reviewers, DistractedStudent, a Guest, and James Birdsong, I'm posting two chapters at once!


	5. Chapter 5

A young man was dragged in through the door by the ear by a very annoyed girl. Both looked around Syaoran's and Sakura's height and age. The girl's brown hair pulled into two ribbon-bound braids, one hanging on each side of her head. Her irritated brown eyes were fixed straight forward as she tugged strongly on the boy's ear. The young man had his eyes closed and his mouth stretched in a wide grin. Both had on the plain, modest cloaks that Clow's citizens wore whenever they traveled long distances in the desert.

Leaping up, Sakura hastily introduced them. "These are the travelers I was telling you about." The young woman stopped in front of Touya, giving the boy one last yank on his ear before letting go. Then she smiled innocently, curtseying prettily towards the surprised onlookers. The boy straightened himself, rubbing his ear sheepishly with one hand, before bowing to the king.

"Greetings Your Majesty, I am Yamazaki Takashi, and this is Mihara Chiharu, my lovely bride-to-be-", he began. "What did you say?! Stop lying!" Chiharu shrieked, grabbing his neck and beginning to throttle him, her cheeks blushing bright red at his words. The boy's eyes remained closed and his perpetual smile stayed firmly plastered on his face, despite his companion's violence.

After Chiharu had calmed down and removed her hands from his throat, Yamazaki coughed lightly before returning his attention back to his gaping audience. "And we are here this lovely afternoon to tell you a story... after a scrumptious dinner, of course!" This sparked another bout of strangling from an angry Chiharu.

...~*~...~*~...~*~...

Setting down his empty glass, Yamazaki sighed dreamily. "That was delicious... did you know that in the ancient times, delicious food was considmmmph" Chiharu had reached over and stuffed a piece of bread in his mouth, effectively gagging him, muttering under her breath all the while.

Touya regarded the two with raised eyebrows. Dinner had been amusing, but tiring affair, with Yamazaki spouting colorful lies and Chiharu trying a variety of things to shut him up. Yamazaki got along splendidly with Fai, and both had Syaoran utterly bewildered with their increasingly wild stories. Chiharu chatted happily with Sakura when she wasn't busy trying to choke Yamazaki. Touya ate quietly, exchanging only a few words with Kurogane.

After the dishes were finally cleared away by the servants, Yamazaki cleared his throat loudly and began his tale. "Chiharu and I are traveling storytellers. We roam the desert, spreading our marvelous words everywhere for some coin, a warm meal, or even just a drink. Actually, we used to travel with another nice girl, Naoko. She was quite fond of scary stories, and was great at making them up on the spot. But we parted ways a little while back. It's really too bad, she made excellent ramen nood-"

"Yamazaki! Would you just get on with the story!" Chiharu was clearly frustrated, her hands twitching as she barely restrained herself from throttling him. "Anyways", the boy continued. "One day we met this other guy in a tavern. His name was Eriol, and he was with a girl and a strange cat. He was a great storyteller! I could tell it was the start of a beautiful friendship... so we decided to travel together for at least a little while."

Chiharu snorted, rolling her eyes. Ignoring her, Yamazaki went on,"But one night, after we had stopped to rest for the night, we were attacked by these masked and hooded people." Yamazaki paused, considering his audience with the gravest expression he could muster.

"They thought we were merchants, and wanted our money. Unfortunately, we had nothing to give them. They were going to kill us, but Eriol told them that he knew a story their leader would want to hear. The leader turned out to be a woman in a cat mask, and she was quite interested in what he had to say. He managed to convince her to let us go if his story had the information she needed."

"He told a far-fatched legend or maybe it was a fairytale. Something about guardians of Clow, and some kind of great magic. But the somehow the woman seemed to believe him. So we were released, but Eriol and his companions had to stay. We wanted to help him, but he smiled and said that everything would be alright." Yamazaki smiled again,"And then the next thing we knew, Chiharu and I were waking up by ourselves by the campfire."

Touya frowned. This Eriol could have useful information. "Can you remember the story?", he asked. Yamazaki nodded. "He said something about a special book hidden in the library of this palace. Only those of royal magic could open it. Inside the book dwelled two beings, guardians I think he called them, one of sun magic, the other of the moon. He said that the book's pages contained incredible magic."

Sakura leaned closer, confused. "But why attack Nii-san and not me? You don't have any magic, right?" The last question was directed at Touya. "Well, I do have some power. It's just not quite as active or concentrated as yours. It's more like a sixth sense", he answered. Turning back to Yamazaki, he inquired,"Do you know if Eriol is still with the assassins?"

Chiharu answered for him. "We havn't seen him since he saved us." She glanced out the window at the rapidly dimming sky. Suddenly becoming anxious, she began fiddling with her yellow hair ribbons. "I'm sorry we couldn't help more Your Highness, but Yamazaki and I need to get going. If we don't leave soon, we'll miss a close friend's wedding." Yamazaki jumped up,"Oh, I didn't realize it was so late! Rika-chan and Terada-san are getting married tomorrow, but in a different town. We have to hurry if we want to get there in time."

After thanking them and giving them enough supplies to last them the journey, Touya watched from his balcony as the two figures left the palace. It was already quite dark, but Touya could still see that they were walking arm in arm. Smiling slightly, he turned back towards Sakura and her friends.

Addressing Mokona, who sat on Kurogane's head, he said, mouth set in a grim line,"Can you get me in touch with the new shopkeeper? Watanuki was his name, right?"

Ignoring his sister's and the travelers surprised looks, he stared with determined eyes at the white bunny. "I have a wish."


	6. Chapter 6

**Touya was surrounded by five animals. One by one they lashed out at him. First, the jade green snake sank its fangs into his upper arm. Touya's mouth snapped open in a soundless cry. Then the sharp-eyed hawk dived at his face, gouging out his dark brown eyes with its curved talons. The scarlet fox crushed the king's ankle with its strong jaws, as the bat slashed his robes with its leathery black wings. The white cat dove for his throat, its claws and teeth becoming arrows, and everything else faded to away as his crimson blood splattered.**

...~*~...~*~...~*~...

Yukito awoke with a start. He was sprawled in a chilly stone cell with a single iron door and a flickering torch attached to the wall. Freezing water trickled unsteadily from a small fracture in the ceiling, pooling on the floor and soaking his bare feet. Manacles were clamped shut around his ankles and wrists, and the chains clinked together as he tried to sit up. Pain sprung to life in his left thigh and right shoulder. Grimacing, he glanced down at his blood-stained robes. His wounds had been bandaged, but hadn't completely healed yet.

_That dream... it was the vision I saw when the assassins first revealed themselves. I had been desperate to stop the terrible nightmare from becoming reality. But the woman's arrow had drained the magic from my shield_. Yukito remembered pushing Touya out of danger and receiving the arrows instead, but after that he could only recall excruciating agony and blessed nothingness. _I think I fainted and was captured. Did they take Touya hostage too?! I need to get out of here and find him!_

Closing his eyes, he quickly reached for the magic that had always dwelled in his heart. Sinking into the calm black ocean of his mind he stretched his hand out, expecting his magic to come to him as usual. But something was wrong. Yukito dived deeper into the now churning sea of darkness. There was a smooth invisible wall stopping him from reaching the shimmering light that shone just out of grasp._ If I can get past this barrier, I can escape and find Touya._

He pounded his fists against it, striking it with all of his might. The obstruction remained, blocking him from the light._ I need it... my magic_.  
Yukito willed the black water to swirl around him. Focusing fiercely, he pushed with his mind, and the water gathered together before shooting forward and slamming into the wall.

Snap!

A long jagged crack appeared in the barrier. The bright magic began to seep through, glittering faintly as it neared him.

_One more time_.

The water spun, streaks of foam streaming behind it as it was propelled into the wall. More cracks spiderwebbed across the surface before it shattered completely.

The light surrounded him, filling him with its familiar cool comfort. Now he was rising, his magic forming white wings that lifted him up towards the surface.

...~*~...~*~...~*~...

Yukito opened his eyes slowly, golden magic flickering to life around his shackles and dancing around the chains. _Now I just have to brea-_

His magic was being sucked away, drawn into the cold metal of the chains. No! He hurriedly stopped the flow of his power, but the damage had already been done. A large amount of his energy had been stolen, and he was feeling slightly dizzy and lethargic from the sudden loss.

There was a sudden jangling of keys at the door. Yukito stiffened, eyes wary as the door slid open with a screech of hinges in serious need of oiling.

The woman stepped in first. She had long black hair that tumbled over her black dress's indecently low neckline. Her face was covered with a white cat mask, its slanted eyes rimmed in scarlet and its grinning mouth scratched deeply into the porcelain. Following her was the snake-masked man, carrying a tin cup half full of water. The man's hair was shaven short, and he wore a neat, broad-shouldered uniform. Scales were etched into his mask's green surface, and its four carved fangs gleamed in the torch's light.

"Looks like your magic was stronger than we thought",the woman commented moving closer to the priest. "We weren't expecting you to be able to use it at all." She ran her long sharp nails along Yukito's cheek, laughing lightly as he flinched.

"We'll need a larger dose to suppress it", she told the other man. He nodded, setting the cup down beside the prisoner. Then he twisted one of his mask's fangs until it was completely unscrewed. Careful not to prick his finger on the sharp point, he tugged on the small cork that was plugged into the blunt end. After removing the stopper, he gently tipped it over the cup, allowing three drops of dark liquid to drip into the water.

The water immediately clouded, becoming gray and murky. The man picked up the cup, turning towards Yukito, who began tugging frantically at his chains and backing away. The woman laughed again, moving behind him and holding his head still. She dug her nails into his wounded shoulder as the snake-masked man held the cup against the priest's lips.

As Yukito's mouth opened to cry out, the man quickly poured the liquid down his throat. The woman clamped her hands over the captive's mouth and nose, forcing him to either swallow, or suffocate. The water burned the inside of his mouth and throat as he gulped, desperate for air. Pain exploded in his head and his body was racked by violent convulsions.

The woman released him, letting him fall to the floor. His back arced, head cracking against the stone. Screams tore themselves from his throat and tears streamed from his eyes, as his hands clawed fitfully at the air.

"You're a sadist", the woman remarked, addressing her companion. The man shrugged,"I couldn't resist his lovely voice." He bent down by the writhing prisoner, wrenching his jaw open. Tearing off a large piece of the priest's robes, he shoved it into between his teeth. Then he tied another scrap of cloth over it to prevent it from being spat out.

"Unfortunately, we can't have him biting his tongue off. After all we still need him in one piece", the man stood and held open the metal door. "After you, my princess", he said mockingly, bowing to the woman. She swept through with a snort of derision and the cell door clanged shut, leaving Yukito alone.


	7. Chapter 7

Drip. Drip. Drip.

It was so cold.

It hurt so much...

_...yue..._

A brief stirring at the edge of his mind. A murmur of discontent as magic struggled to awaken.

Then...nothing.

...~*~...~*~...~*~...

"I have a wish."

Touya watched as the magical bunny's jewel on its forehead began to glow. A beam of light shot out, forming a sort of glowing window through which a teenaged boy could be seen. The boy had short black hair and wore a dark green kimono decorated with embroidered flowers and white birds. His blue and brown eyes watched them expectantly through round spectacles. It looked as if he was sitting on a wooden porch, and a slim black pipe was held idly in one hand, white smoke trailing and curling lazily through the air.

"Watanuki! Please help us!" Mokona exclaimed, its face scrunched up in worry.

"What is it you wish for?" The shopkeeper asked, eyes not wavering from Touya's.

"I wish to save Yuki."

"You cannot pay that price." Watanuki's face remained impassive, but his eyes held an edge of sadness as they rested briefly on the princess and each of the travelers. Was it just Touya's imagination, or did the shopkeeper's eyes linger longest on the brat?

"However, I can grant a different wish. I can give you the means to locate him." Watanuki turned sideways, calling out,"Moru! Maru! Bring it out!"

There was a scuffle of running feet and two girls came into view. One had short pink hair and the other's light blue hair was pulled into two long pigtails. Both were clad in white and black dresses. Their faces were almost doll-like, with wide smiles and blank eyes. One held black lacquered box in her arms. The other was carrying the black manju bun. They skidded to a halt, the black bunny bouncing onto Watanuki's shoulder.

"Larg!"

"Soel!"

As the two magical rabbits greeted each other enthusiastically, the shopkeeper took the box from the pink-haired girl.

"Thank you", he said, smiling gently. He ran his fingers over the container's glossy coat before snapping open its golden clasp. The lid opened smoothly, exposing its red velvet-lined interior. On top of the velvet lay a...

"What the hell!" Touya exclaimed.

It was a key. The key had a golden star centered within a plastic-looking pink ring. Two tiny white wings and a small red jewel decorated it. The key had only two notches, and it hung on a short black string.

"It may look like a child's toy, but it's a very special key." Watanuki said calmly. "Using this, you can open a certain book in the royal library. You'll understand once you open it."

_How is this going to help me find Yuki?!_

"Now for the price." The shopkeeper regarded Touya gravely. "You will pay-"

"Please wait!" Sakura cried. "Yukito-san is my friend too. I want to pay part of the price too."

"Sakura, you don't have to-", Touya began to argue.

"Onii-san! I want to! Please let me." Sakura turned her wide green eyes imploringly towards him, hands clasped tightly together. "Please!"

Touya groaned. There was no way he could resist that look. "Fine, you can help."

Sakura threw her arms happily around her brother, hugging him gratefully. At the sound of a throat clearing, both looked up at Syaoran.

"Yukito-san is my friend also. Allow me to help too." His face was set determinedly. Sakura smiled, running to hug him.

"Thank you Syaoran!"

After a moment she released him, both of their faces tomato red.

Fai laughed lightly before turning to address Watanuki."We will need to extend our stay here, if we are going to help. So I wish that Mokona's earring will not glow until we have safely retrieved the priest and returned him here."

Kurogane ran his metal hand through his spiky black hair, eyes fixed on the shopkeeper. "I'll help pay for that wish." At his words, Fai swung his arms around his neck in a tight hug, singing out, "Kuro-daddy's so sweet!" Kurogane peeled the mage off his back and proceeded to chase him around the room, brandishing his sword.

"Very well." Watanuki smiled sadly.

"Sakura, you'll pay by staying behind. You must wait in the castle without contact with the others until they have completed their mission." Watanuki cast his eyes down, his face expressionless. "Sometimes, waiting without knowing is more painful than being there yourself." Sakura nodded bravely, glancing worriedly at Syaoran.

"Syaoran, your price will be the same as Kurogane's and Fai's. The next three worlds you travel to will be hostile and war-torn. All of you will have to battle constantly to survive. In each world you will have to stay at least three days. Are you willing to pay this price?"

Each of the travelers nodded, faces set grimly. Kurogane smirked. "A little battle is nothing. In fact, I'll enjoy it."

"Hyuu~ Kuro-daddy is so manly!" Fai called out, running with his arms in the air, as Kurogane began to chase him around the room again.

"Touya, your payment...is an item you will have to retrieve for me. When you are searching for Yukito, you'll come across a small town called Tomoeda. The town's shrine maiden, Mizuki Kaho, will have the item there." Watanuki's eyes were devoid of any emotion. Touya nodded, a bit confused.

"What is it?" The king asked.

"It's a bell."

"A...bell?"

"Yes." Watanuki lifted the pink key out of the box by the black string and handed to the black Mokona, who promptly swallowed it. The white Mokona spat it out a few seconds later, sending it shooting across the room. Touya grabbed the key as it flew through the air. It was so light, an almost nonexistent weight, and it seemed dwarfed in his broad palm.

"Now I wish you luck on your mission. Goodbye." Watanuki's waving image winked out abruptly as they called out their thanks.

Touya stared silently at the key clutched tightly in his hand.

_Wait for me Yuki...I'm coming!_

_...~*~...~*~...~*~..._

_A/N: Sorry for late update! I really don't have a good excuse. '^_^ I've been working on my other fic and I've been busy lately. Anyways, I hope it wasn't too dull. Reviews are welcome!_


	8. Chapter 8

A hand, coated with dirt and grime, was lying motionless in the gloom of the cell, barely illuminated by the dying flame of the torch. The arm and the limp body it was attached to was hidden by the shadows.

"Please..."

The weak voice was hoarse and barely audible. The fingers twitched, reaching for the light that seemed just out of reach.

The fire flickered out, the torch glowing briefly before it was extinguished.

And then there was only darkness.

...~*~...~*~...~*~...

"What exactly are we looking for?" Touya asked.

After a night of restless tossing and turning in bed, the king had been down in the library before the sun had even peeked over the horizon. Unfortunately, he had no idea which book the key was to open. The others had been stumped too, but all had been reluctant to contact Watanuki again. Now they all gathered, staring at the many shelves stacked high with books. They could be searching for weeks before they found the right one.

"Maybe the key will lead you to it." Mokona suggested. Touya seemed sceptical, but as there was no other feasible option, he removed the key from where he had tied it around his neck.

The key hung from the black string, swaying slightly. Suddenly it began to vibrate, the golden star on it shining brightly. Touya yelped as it zoomed through the air, yanking him along with it.

"Onii-san!"

"Your Highness!"

Sakura and the travelers raced after him. He was tugged to a dusty bookshelf in the very back of the royal library. All the tomes on the shelf looked ancient, their covers splitting and the paper yellowed with age.  
The key came to a stop, hovering in front of a book tucked into the very corner of the shelf. Touya pulled it out, reading its spine out loud as the others skidded to a halt behind him.

"The Clow...that's a strange title." Sakura peeked over his shoulder as he turned it over to see the front.

It looked newer in comparison to the other books, but still seemed to be very old. Its red cover was decorated with the image of a magestic golden lion. A small metal sun was connected on to the chain that held the book firmly closed. Touya flipped it over to see the back. There was a silver moon charm attached to the chain, but no picture.

Syaoran and Fai bent close. The latter ran his long fingers over the chain lightly.

"Hyuu...there's a very strong enchantment on the lock. Even I probably couldn't break it open." The wizard withdrew to stand beside Kurogane, throwing his arm around the ninja's shoulder.

"And even Kuro-manly couldn't put a scratch on it!" He teased, poking Kurogane's cheek. The ninja ignored him, crimson eyes focused on the book.

"Are you going to open it or what?" He asked, obviously impatient.

Touya nodded, already pushing the key into the lock. He turned it, letting out the breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding when the lock clicked open. The king opened the book, the chains jingling as they slid to the ground.

The inside was hollow, holding nothing but air.

"What?! There's nothing in it!"

Abruptly, the book began to glow. Touya dropped it with a surprised shout. The cover fell shut, and the king could see the lion on the front. A dark spot was growing on its image, enlarging and bulging outwards. Something rose out of the lion's picture, shining to brightly for anyone to see it properly. As the light faded, the form became visible. It was a small yellow feline with large round ears, tiny wings, and a tufted tail. He yawned hugely, stretching even as it remained suspended in the air. His round black eyes blinked open sleepily to regard his openmouthed audience.

"Which one of y'all woke me up?" The creature fluttered over to sniff at a bewildered Syaoran. He wrinkled his nose before smelling Fai, who laughed as the little lion's nose tickled his skin.

"Nope. Strong, but not quite." He muttered, flying over to sniff Sakura. She stared, surprised, as he gave a triumphant yell and promptly plopped himself down in her hands.

"You're the one who woke me up, right?" The winged lion asked, obviously expecting her to say yes.

Sakura blinked. "Umm, I'm sorry but it wasn't me."

"What?!" He immediately flew to Fai. "Was it you?!" It demanded, one paw jabbing the blonde wizard's chest.

"Nope!" Fai said cheerfully, eyes closed in a wide smile.

"Please tell me it wasn't you!" He exclaimed shoving its face into Syaoran's.

"N-no it wasn't m-me", Syaoran stuttered, backing up hastily.

The creature growled, whirling around to face Kurogane and Touya. "Okay, which one of you did it?"

Touya stepped forward cautiously, the key dangling from one hand. The lion fluttered over, making a face as it smelled him.

"You have got to be kiddin' me." Then he sniffed at the key, and his eyes narrowed angrily.

"Stupid Dimensional Witch", the creature muttered, glaring at Touya. "Fine, I guess you're my master now."

Before Touya could do more than stare incredulously, the little lion drew himself up and struck a dramatic pose.

"I am Cerberus, the Sun Guardian appointed by Clow!"

...~*~...~*~...~*~...

A/N: I hope these last few chapters haven't been dragging on. I've been trying to slow the plot down, as it was going a bit too fast. Unfortunately, I think that the quality of my recent chapters have decreased.

Reviews are welcome!


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